Smiles, hugs and a few tears filled the room at the Martin Professional Development Center on Feb. 27 as seniors from zoned and magnet Metro Nashville Public Schools celebrated admission to Vanderbilt and induction into the inaugural cohort of the Nashville Vanderbilt Scholars Program.
The 30 scholars and their families in attendance enjoyed a celebratory lunch, where each participant received a certificate and an award recognizing their involvement in the program. Attendees heard remarks from Dr. André Churchwell, special advisor on inclusion and community outreach at Vanderbilt University; Dr. Adrienne Battle, MNPS director of schools; Douglas L. Christiansen, vice provost for university enrollment affairs and dean of admissions and financial aid at Vanderbilt; Sarah Chin, MNPS chief of strategy; Mike Drish, executive director of undergraduate admissions at Vanderbilt; and Derek Nido, senior assistant director of undergraduate admissions at Vanderbilt.
“The Nashville Vanderbilt Scholars Program is more than just a scholarship. It represents growing, meaningful and ongoing collaboration between Vanderbilt and Metro Nashville Public Schools,” Christiansen said. “The impact of the new collaboration … has been remarkable. This year, we saw a significant increase in Early Decision applications from zoned and magnet Metro Nashville Public Schools students—from 38 in fall 2024 to 122 in fall 2025, an increase of 221 percent.”
The selected students were admitted to Vanderbilt through the Early Decision I or II processes and either qualify for a Federal Pell Grant or have a parental income of $100,000 or less. The program covers direct costs at Vanderbilt, including tuition, fees, housing and meals. Additionally, it offers a one-time summer stipend of $6,000 after the second or third year at Vanderbilt to help offset expenses related to summer internships.
During the event, Battle congratulated the students on their achievement and making the decision to go to Vanderbilt. The awards presentation included 150 principals from MNPS elementary, middle and high schools across the district who celebrated the students and their families with a standing ovation.
“I also want to extend my thanks to Chancellor Diermeier, Provost Raver, Vice Provost Christiansen and everyone at Vanderbilt for their incredible partnership and investment in MNPS,” Battle said.
Vanderbilt University and Metro Nashville Public Schools launched the Nashville Vanderbilt Scholars Program in May 2024 with the aim of improving access for high-performing Nashville public high school students to top-tier universities, including Vanderbilt. To support this goal, Vanderbilt collaborates with counselors, teachers and administrators to guide students through the college search and admissions process.
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